Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations RES?

I guess I have a quick question about these guys... I put RES in my pond back in 2009/2010. I have caught a couple of real nice 10 inchers in 2012 I guess on accident cause all I ever catch now is the 4 inchers.... I still have smaller ones so where the heck did my bigger ones go...

Am I fishing wrong for them? Anyone here have certain ways they fish just for RES? I can't seem to fine my bigger ones. If I caught 10 inch RES back in 2012 and let them go man I should have some whoppers now but it's like they have disappeared..... any suggestions or something I could try maybe? My pond is only about 9 feet deep?

RC

RES like picking up food off the bottom rather than coming up for it, they are looking downward more often than up. They also like slow moving easy to catch groceries. "Low and slow" is the key, it doesn't matter if you are fishing 2 feet of water or 9 feet, keep your bait on or near the bottom of the pond. One other thing, they love worms, use night crawlers or red worms, smaller pieces work better than large ones.

Thanks Shorty I been using worms to catch the smaller guys but only have my bobber like 18 inches deep so I may try with a small jig maybe or just a split shot....

I gotta find them!!

RC

+1 on what Shorty said, although I use whole nightcrawlers. I find if I use chunks of nightcrawlers I only catch YP. When using whole nightcrawlers I catch 1 YP to every 10 RES. #6 hook with the smallest weight you can find and head hook the crawler. Cast it out 20 feet or so and slowly drag it back. Works for me all season long.

All the RES we used to catch out of the family farm of any size were always below the little ones....so we had to get PAST the small ones to get the big ones.

We usually used a slip bobber set to depth and cast way out past where the fish were and then reeled it up to the right location. That way the bait never passed through the smaller fish.

What do you mean by head hook? Just hook the first 1/4 inch or so and let it all hang back? Or texas rig it kina like...

thanks guys I really want to find these critters.... I know I have got to have a few over a pound or more by now...

RC

I hook the first 1/4" and let it dangle.

I hook it twice in the first 1/4" if I am using a barbless hook.

Gotcha thanks

RC

Another thread on how to catch RES

Low and Slow - Catching RES

Additional info on RES RES info and links

Snrub, thanks for bringing that thread back up, had not seen it in a while.

Shorty, once again that is great info on RES in the Low and Slow thread.